The ultimate goal for every team is to make it to the NBA Finals and bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy as the annual champions. The Los Angeles Lakers last did so in 2020 and Luka Doncic and LeBron James are hoping to lead this team back to mountaintop in 2026.
Of course, the path to a championship is a long and difficult road, especially in the Western Conference where there are so many good teams, led by the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams like the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are also all jockeying for position in hopes of representing the West in the NBA Finals and now the dates for the NBA Finals are set.
The NBA announced the dates for the 2026 NBA Finals with the series beginning on Wednesday, June 3 and the potential Game 7 taking place on Friday, June 19, if necessary:
The NBA today announced the schedule for the NBA Finals 2026 presented by YouTube TV.
The best-of-seven series tips off Wednesday, June 3. Game 7 is scheduled for Friday, June 19, if necessary.
All games are 8:30 PM ET on ABC.
Complete schedule ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/OnhTOq35wT
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 20, 2026
Game 2 of the NBA Finals will take place on Friday, June 5, followed by two off days before Game 3 on Monday, June 8. Game 4 will be on Wednesday, June 10 and assuming there is not a sweep in the series, Game 5 will be on Saturday, June 13. Should it be necessary, Game 6 will take place on Tuesday, June 16.
As usual, all of the games will be televised on ABC at 5:30 p.m. PT.
The NBA Finals will retain the 2-2-1-1-1 format and give the teams an extra off day between games in which they must travel. Last season’s series between the Thunder and Indiana Pacers was one of the best in a very long time. The Thunder won their first NBA Championship in franchise history in seven games over the underdog Pacers and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA Finals MVP.
The Thunder remain the favorites to defend their championship, but are facing a lot of competition in the stacked West. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons have been the best team in the East, but the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics are strong contenders as well.
LeBron James sees Luka Doncic getting more comfortable with Lakers
It has now been more than a year since Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers in one of the most shocking deals in American sports history. It was obviously a jarring move for Doncic and it took some time for him to really adjust to his new situation both on and off the court. But James is noticing Doncic getting more comfortable as his first full season with the Lakers goes on.
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